The Bible is filled with stories of men
and women who fell from grace. The Rev. Carl Hutcherson Jr. has
probably read all of them. (Pictured: The Rev. Carl Hutcherson Jr. hugs Yvonne Preston after a Sunday service at First Baptist Church of South Lynchburg.)
Four years ago, Hutcherson took a fall that was more bruising than most.
At the time he was indicted (and, eventually, convicted) on seven federal charges of embezzlement, fraud and perjury, he was not only Lynchburg's mayor and a city council member, but a respected business owner (Hutcherson Funeral Home) and the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Thus, he toppled not just from one pedestal, but three. And when he finished serving time on probation (including a six-month stretch of house arrest), Hutcherson saw his political career in shreds, his business in trouble and his marriage badly damaged.
"I didn't know what to expect," he said recently, "and I was touched by the support I received from the community. Not from everybody, but from most of the people I had known."
Still, in his early 60s, Hutcherson suddenly faced a blank future.
Around the same time, First Baptist Church of South Lynchburg had reached a crossroads of its own. One of the more venerable black churches in Lynchburg, its congregation had just buried longtime pastor Winston R. Jones and was searching for a replacement. The sanctuary was too small and too old, and the same could be said of the congregation. The church's location, on Tazewell Street off Campbell Avenue, was a bit out of the way.
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SOURCE: News & Advance
Darrel Laurant
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The article you wrote on First Baptist Church South Lynchburg is very unflattering.It is obvious that you not seen the inside of First Baptist Church. While the church was founded in the early 1900's it has been remodeled on the inside with wood floors and carpeting intermixed, the pews are carpeted, there is a mix of very nice chandeliers and wall sconces for lighting. It has a heat pump for heating and air conditioning. There is a large youth department, including a nursery and youth choir.(you said the congregation was small and old). It has produced more pastors and ministers than several larger churches in the area. While we are outgrowing the current building there are plans underway for a new sanctuary. You stated that the location is out of the way when it is located visibly a half of a block off of one of Lynchburg's major thoroughfares. Religion is not about how large a church is but about doing the work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible says where two or three are gathered in his name touching and agreeing that he would be in their midst. Well with approximately 300 members the spirit is always in their midst.
First I would like to thank God for Rev. Hutcherson and the vision that he brought to First Baptist South Lynchburg Church. He is continue what Rev. Jones's vision was for the church. I consider your article about Rev. Hutcherson and the church distasteful. You don't know the people he has baptize since becoming the pastor. Many have also join the church to become part of the First Baptist family. These include the young, young teenagers as well as adults. Also he has been a positive influence on not only members in the church, but people in the community. As far as the location go does it matter the address of the church or that the church greets and welcome you to come and worship God. The church is accessible by the city bus and I am grateful for the location. So stop judging and writing negative articles. God saw past our faults and saw our needs.Rev. Hutcherson supports his church and we do support him. I do invite you to come an do worship at First Baptist Church South Lynchburg